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- UNITED- STATES PATENT OEEICE.

MANFRED U. LOREE, OF MIAMISBURG, ASSIGNOR OF Tl/VO-THIRDS TO GERTRUDE DRIGGS AND OLLIE KASMIRSKY, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

FOLDING4 BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,260, dated November 15, 1892.

Application led May 3l, 1892. Serial No. 434,837. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANFRED U. LOREE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miamisburg, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boats, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in portable boats, and has for its object to furnish a boat of light but strong construction, which may be packed into small compass and be easily carried from place to place, also when built of large size may be used as a ponton for military purposes.

The nature of the invention consists in providing a flat bottom divided into several sections, each section being arranged to fold upon itself, and with means whereby the doors tion in such manner that they may be arranged so as to occupy small space, as will more fully appear by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters of reference indicate the same parts. g

Figure 1 is a plan view of the boat when The ropes and hooks are omitted in this view to avoid confusion. a side elevation. tion on the line oc of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached view of a part of one of the ribs and braces. of a part of one of the floors, part of a rib, and part of a brace. Fig. 6 is a plan view, enlarged, of a part of the gunwales. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the entire boat. The braces G are omitted in this view to avoid confusion. Fig. 8 is a detached view of the middle section of the bottom as arranged for packing in small compass. Fig. 9 is a detached view of one'end of one of the middle sections of the bottom folded for packing. Fig. 10 is a detached sectional view of one of the gunwales with hook and rope connections, enlarged. Fig. 11 is an inside view of one of the gunwales, (the ends thereof broken oit) two of the hooks attached to a portion of the canvas covering, and the rope connections.

Fig. 2 isj Fig. 3 is a transverse sec-v Fig. 5 is an enlarged view C indicates the canvas covering; D, the

gunwales; E, the fioontimbers or floors; F, the ribs, pivoted thereto by means of rivets f.

' G are braces, of metal or other suitable maf `terial, secured to the ribs by staples g, and

extending downwardly in an angular direction and provided with a hook at the lower extremity, vwhich enters the staple H, attached to the floors E, thereby maintaining the ribs F and the floors E rigidly in their proper positions, when the boat is put together. The tioors E are attached to each of the bottom sections B and Bf by means of the rivets I. The bottom section B is provided with buttons or locking devices J attached thereto by means of the rivets j. When the boat is put together, these buttons engage with the clips K, secured to the bottom sections B. These sections are also provided with pins L, which enter sockets L in the bottom section B, as will appear by reference to the Figs. 7 and 9 of the drawings. The middle plank in each of the sections B B is hinged in a longitudinal direction,preferably by flexible material, to each of its adjoining side planks, as may be seen by Figs. 8 and 9. This permits the bottom sections to be folded upon each other, so as to occupy small space and permit them to be packed in a receptacle long enough to receive the section B.

The canvas covering C is secured to the stem and stern posts A by being inserted at each end between the posts Aand the aprons A', and any convenient means may be employed to attach the aprons .A and the posts A to each other. The canvas covering may be of any waterproof material, preferably of canvas duck with acovering of rubber paint.

The gunwales D are composed each of several pieces attached to each other by ferrules D in the same manner as in jointed fishing-poles. The stem and4 stern pieces forming the ends of the gunwales are attached to each other by a metal plate M and rivets m, forming a hinged joint'and perf mitting the' gunwales to be brought close to- 2 fleece() -gether when 'removed from the boat and to be packed in small compass. Pins m', attached to the stem and stern posts, penetrate an opening in each plate M and serve to hold the gunwales in place when the boat is put together.

A series of hooks N are-attached to the upper edges of the canvas, as shown in detail in Figi 11. These hooks receive a cord or rope o, which is passed over and around the gunwales, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, then to the next hook of the series, and so on to the end, when the extremity of the rope is secured by several turns around its respective gunwale. By this means a strong purchase may be obtained,whereby the canvas maybe stretched to the utmost over the outside of the bottom of the boat, and thereby present a smooth and non-resisting surface for the passage of the boat through the water.

There may be several modifications in the construction of the boat without departing from my invention.

When the rope o is disengaged from the hooks and gunwales, and also the ribs from the gunwales, the bottom sections may be removed from the canvas covering and folded into small compass, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The different sections of the gunwales may also be detached from each other, and when the canvas is folded up the whole boat may be placed in a suitable receptable for transportation. The oars may be also jointed for convenience in packing, and as the bottom of the boat is fiat and of solid construction camp-stools may be utilized for seats.

Having described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

l. In av folding boat, the bottom thereof, composed of nine pieces divided into three sections, each section of three pieces hinged together longitudinally, the central piece of each section having a floor riveted thereto, (and adapted to turn on the rivet as its axis.) each floor having a rib at each end pivoted thereto, and each rib provided with a` brace whereby the ribs and the floors may be maintained at the proper angle to` each other, the said ribs having a semicircular opening adapted to receive the gunwales, in combination with a flexible Waterproof covering secured at each end to the aprons and stem and stern posts of the boat, the

said covering having hooks attached to the upper sides thereof, adapted to receive a cord whereby the covering may be drawn to the utmost tension and the various parts of the boat thereby firmly secured to each other.

2. In a folding boat, the longitudinal bottom section B, with the pivoted button J, in combination with bottom sections B', having each a clip or locking device K, adapted to engage with the pivoted bar J when turned upon its axis in a longitudinal direction, thereby maintaining said. section B and said sections B in the same longitudinal horzontal plane, as herein shown and described.

3. In a folding boat, the bottom section B, consisting of a middle plank and two side planks hinged together longitudinally, the middle plank of each section having a floor `E pivoted thereto, whereby the middle and is maintained, as herein shown and de' scribed.

fi. In a folding boat, the longitudinal sec tions B and B constituting the bottom of the boat, the middle plank of sections B having pins L, adapted to enter sockets L in the ends of' the middle plank of section B, also buttons J, pivoted to the ends of the middle plank of section B, said buttons adapt ed to engage with clips K, attached to the ends of the middle planks of sections B', whereby the three sections are maintained in the same horizontal plane, in combination with the floors E, pivoted to the middle plank of sections B and B and adapted to be turned in a transverse direction and thereby maintain each section in the same transverse horizontal plane, as herein described.

5. In a folding boat, the combination, with the gunwales and canvas covering, of the ooring consisting of three sections,the middle section being of a greater length than the two end sections, each of said sections consisting of a plurality of planks hinged together longitudinally by means of suitable flexible material that will admit of the planks of each section being folded upon each other, a cross-brace pivoted to the middle plank of each section, ribs pivoted to the ends of said cross-brace and adapted to be folded upon said cross'braee or raised in an inclined position to support the gunwales and braces, consisting of hook-andeye joint at one end and a staple connection at the other, forming an additional support between said cross-brace and ribs, substantially as described.

6. In a folding boat, the combination, with the pivotal cross -brace and ribs and gunwales, of a flooring consisting of a plurality of planks hinged together longitudinally, a sliding fastening-bar pivoted to the ends of the middle plank of the middle section, and clips` attached to the inner ends of the middle plank of the end sections of said flooring, by means of which the sections are joined in one rigid and compact flooring,V substantially as herein described.

7. In a folding boat, the combination, with the iiooring consisting of three divisions with means of attaching said divisions together so as to form one compact flat surface, of a cross-brace pivoted to the center plank of each of the divisions and ribs pivoted to the ends of said cross-brace, the upper end of IOO said ribs provided with semicircular recess adapted to support the gunwales, a canvas covering provided with hooks placed at intervals along the edge thereof, by which the canvas is drawn and rigidly laced around said gunwales by means of a cord or rope, as herein described.

presence of two Witnesses.

MANFRED U. LOREE.

Witnesses:

AMos K. CLAY, FRANK HAMBURGER. 

